Sam Horsfield wins New Year's Invitational

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Jan. 12, 2014) -- Florida teen Sam Horsfield shot a final round 70 to win the 2014 New Year's Invitational at St. Petersburg Country Club. The 17-year-old Horsfield, the 2013 Florida State Amateur and Orlando City winner, tied the tournament record for youngest champion. He finished four shots ahead of Purdue golfer Philippe Shweizzer. Horsfield, who made a deep run at the U.S. Junior this past summer, took hold of the lead Friday and never looked back. Michael McGowan of UNC finished third, seven back of Horsfield and one ahead of Adam Schenk, who also plays at Purdue, the solo fourth place finisher. First-round leader Blake Morris, who plays at Ole Miss, shot a final-round 73 and finished tied for seventh and inside the Top 10 for a second straight year. Defending champion Toni Hakula from the University of Texas, shot bookend 73s to take a tie for 15th. Held every year since 1927, the New Year's Invitational is the region's oldest continuously-running invitational. Past winners include Peter Uihlein, Brandon Hagy, Jeff Overton and Brandt Snedeker. Joe Alfieri won the Mid-Amateur Division. He shot rounds of 76-69-69-72 to finish two up on Eddie Brescher. In the Senior Division, Tom Hyland was a one-shot winner over Dennis Monahan. Hyland shot 72-71-79 to win the 54-hole event.